Rye Board of Education Adopts $69.7 million Budget

After nearly three hours of debate and comments from the public, the Rye City School District Board of Education adopted a $69.7 million budget Tuesday that includes a 1.68 percent tax levy increase and funding for two additional sports—the latter of which many people argued is imprudent considering the economic climate.

The district's approved budget, which is 1.32 percent higher than the 2009-10 budget, includes a more than $950,000 year-over-year increase in salaries and benefits, increases in the individual budgets for the elementary, middle and high schools, the elimination of a library clerk and three elementary school teaching aides, and $45,000 in funding for the squash and crew teams.

The additional funding for squash and crew comes after both teams and some parents asked the district for financial support in late March. Both teams are considered clubs and therefore did not receive funding from the district. Though Athletic Director Rob Castagna estimated that it would cost $87,000 to fund both teams for the year, the district decided to meet the teams halfway by providing $45,000 in funding instead.

Superintendent Ed Shine said Tuesday that the funding for squash and crew will not increase the district's overall budget. To fund both sports, the district will use a portion of discretionary money from a $100,000 grant that was supposed to be applied to the technology budget, which provides funding for things like Smart Boards and other digital learning tools.

Some parents who attended the meeting applauded the district for passing what they viewed as a fiscally responsible budget. However, they objected to the district's cuts for certain educational services, while also finding additional money for squash and crew.

Maureen Gomez, the co-president of the Osborn Parent Teacher Organization, said she did not support the district's decision to cut a library clerk position and fund both sports.

"Eliminating the library clerk position while funding two new sports elicits the perception that the board endorses athletics over academics. Please don't let that be the case," Gomez said. "If money can be found for squash and crew, it can surely be found for the library clerk and [teachers] aides."

Rye Middle School and High School parent Adele Centani asked the district to find the appropriate balance between funding sports and technology at the schools.

"All of our children walk around school every day with more technology in their pocket than they have in the classroom," Centani said. "It's the way they think and the way they learn right now."

Some board members, such as Bob Zahm, also objected to parts of the budget. Zahm had a list of items he said needed to be addressed before the budget could be adopted. Zahm asked that the district either use the athletic budget to fund squash and crew or reduce the overall budget by $150,000 as opposed to re-allocating some funds from the technology budget to pay for these sports. He also proposed eliminating the addition of Mandarin language courses next year until economic conditions improved.

None of Zahm's fellow board members supported his motions, and when the district approved its budget near the end of the meeting by a vote of 6-1, Zahm was the lone dissenter.

The district's adopted budget does not take into account possible cuts to special education programs, though it does include the possibility of $300,000 in state aid cuts. The State of New York has yet to finalize its budget, which could mean the school district will have to prepare to find additional sources of funding because of several state mandates.

"We're asking the board to adopt the school district budget next year absent information on state aid," Kathleen Ryan, the district's business manager said. "We're not sure what the legislature will ultimately agree to. "

Charmian Neary, a Midland School parent, said the district should tread carefully if it wants voters to approve its budget. She said the district also needs to take into account that additional funding for squash and crew added to this year's budget would need to be funded in future years. The $100,000 grant, which was a one-time gift from Albany, could not be counted on for next year, she said.

"I want to over-emphasize the amount of voter anger out there. It's very, very difficult to talk about the money we have. We don't really have any money," Neary said. "It's all taxpayer dollars, and you have to take a crapshoot that people are going to act as parents in this school district and not act as taxpayers."

The district will hold a budget hearing on May 4. A budget vote is scheduled for May 18.